diff --git a/runtime/doc/lua.txt b/runtime/doc/lua.txt
index 9601537c8d..d1f244c76f 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/lua.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/lua.txt
@@ -717,6 +717,16 @@ vim.NIL								    *vim.NIL*
 	is equivalent to a missing value: `{"foo", nil}` is the same as 
 	`{"foo"}`
 
+vim.empty_dict()					    *vim.empty_dict()*
+	Creates a special table which will be converted to an empty
+	dictionary when converting lua values to vimL or API types. The
+	table is empty, and this property is marked using a metatable. An
+	empty table `{}` without this metatable will default to convert to
+	an array/list.
+
+	Note: if numeric keys are added to the table, the metatable will be
+	ignored and the dict converted to a list/array anyway.
+
 vim.rpcnotify({channel}, {method}[, {args}...])		    *vim.rpcnotify()*
 	Sends {event} to {channel} via |RPC| and returns immediately.
 	If {channel} is 0, the event is broadcast to all channels.
diff --git a/runtime/lua/vim/inspect.lua b/runtime/lua/vim/inspect.lua
index 0f3b908dc1..0448ea487f 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/vim/inspect.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/vim/inspect.lua
@@ -244,6 +244,11 @@ function Inspector:putTable(t)
 
     local nonSequentialKeys, nonSequentialKeysLength, sequenceLength = getNonSequentialKeys(t)
     local mt                = getmetatable(t)
+    if (vim and sequenceLength == 0 and nonSequentialKeysLength == 0
+        and mt == vim._empty_dict_mt) then
+      self:puts(tostring(t))
+      return
+    end
 
     self:puts('{')
     self:down(function()
diff --git a/runtime/lua/vim/shared.lua b/runtime/lua/vim/shared.lua
index b5b04d7757..6df9bf1c2f 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/vim/shared.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/vim/shared.lua
@@ -275,9 +275,15 @@ function vim.tbl_flatten(t)
 end
 
 -- Determine whether a Lua table can be treated as an array.
+--
+-- An empty table `{}` will default to being treated as an array.
+-- Use `vim.emtpy_dict()` to create a table treated as an
+-- empty dict. Empty tables returned by `rpcrequest()` and
+-- `vim.fn` functions can be checked using this function
+-- whether they represent empty API arrays and vimL lists.
 ---
 --@params Table
---@returns true: A non-empty array, false: A non-empty table, nil: An empty table
+--@returns true: An array-like table, false: A dict-like or mixed table
 function vim.tbl_islist(t)
   if type(t) ~= 'table' then
     return false
@@ -296,7 +302,12 @@ function vim.tbl_islist(t)
   if count > 0 then
     return true
   else
-    return nil
+    -- TODO(bfredl): in the future, we will always be inside nvim
+    -- then this check can be deleted.
+    if vim._empty_dict_mt == nil then
+      return nil
+    end
+    return getmetatable(t) ~= vim._empty_dict_mt
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/src/nvim/lua/converter.c b/src/nvim/lua/converter.c
index 09d1a68898..fca74b5901 100644
--- a/src/nvim/lua/converter.c
+++ b/src/nvim/lua/converter.c
@@ -156,6 +156,13 @@ static LuaTableProps nlua_traverse_table(lua_State *const lstate)
             && other_keys_num == 0
             && ret.string_keys_num == 0)) {
       ret.type = kObjectTypeArray;
+      if (tsize == 0 && lua_getmetatable(lstate, -1)) {
+        nlua_pushref(lstate, nlua_empty_dict_ref);
+        if (lua_rawequal(lstate, -2, -1)) {
+          ret.type = kObjectTypeDictionary;
+        }
+        lua_pop(lstate, 2);
+      }
     } else if (ret.string_keys_num == tsize) {
       ret.type = kObjectTypeDictionary;
     } else {
@@ -465,6 +472,8 @@ static bool typval_conv_special = false;
         nlua_create_typed_table(lstate, 0, 0, kObjectTypeDictionary); \
       } else { \
         lua_createtable(lstate, 0, 0); \
+        nlua_pushref(lstate, nlua_empty_dict_ref); \
+        lua_setmetatable(lstate, -2); \
       } \
     } while (0)
 
@@ -695,6 +704,10 @@ void nlua_push_Dictionary(lua_State *lstate, const Dictionary dict,
     nlua_create_typed_table(lstate, 0, 0, kObjectTypeDictionary);
   } else {
     lua_createtable(lstate, 0, (int)dict.size);
+    if (dict.size == 0 && !special) {
+      nlua_pushref(lstate, nlua_empty_dict_ref);
+      lua_setmetatable(lstate, -2);
+    }
   }
   for (size_t i = 0; i < dict.size; i++) {
     nlua_push_String(lstate, dict.items[i].key, special);
diff --git a/src/nvim/lua/executor.c b/src/nvim/lua/executor.c
index 2cd6c0db66..242d4e18d1 100644
--- a/src/nvim/lua/executor.c
+++ b/src/nvim/lua/executor.c
@@ -324,6 +324,13 @@ static int nlua_state_init(lua_State *const lstate) FUNC_ATTR_NONNULL_ALL
   nlua_nil_ref = nlua_ref(lstate, -1);
   lua_setfield(lstate, -2, "NIL");
 
+  // vim._empty_dict_mt
+  lua_createtable(lstate, 0, 0);
+  lua_pushcfunction(lstate, &nlua_empty_dict_tostring);
+  lua_setfield(lstate, -2, "__tostring");
+  nlua_empty_dict_ref = nlua_ref(lstate, -1);
+  lua_setfield(lstate, -2, "_empty_dict_mt");
+
   // internal vim._treesitter... API
   nlua_add_treesitter(lstate);
 
@@ -665,6 +672,12 @@ static int nlua_nil_tostring(lua_State *lstate)
   return 1;
 }
 
+static int nlua_empty_dict_tostring(lua_State *lstate)
+{
+  lua_pushstring(lstate, "vim.empty_dict()");
+  return 1;
+}
+
 
 #ifdef WIN32
 /// os.getenv: override os.getenv to maintain coherency. #9681
diff --git a/src/nvim/lua/executor.h b/src/nvim/lua/executor.h
index 32f66b629c..3259fc0fa1 100644
--- a/src/nvim/lua/executor.h
+++ b/src/nvim/lua/executor.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 void nlua_add_api_functions(lua_State *lstate) REAL_FATTR_NONNULL_ALL;
 
 EXTERN LuaRef nlua_nil_ref INIT(= LUA_NOREF);
+EXTERN LuaRef nlua_empty_dict_ref INIT(= LUA_NOREF);
 
 #define set_api_error(s, err) \
     do { \
diff --git a/src/nvim/lua/vim.lua b/src/nvim/lua/vim.lua
index e7c5458102..8ba550ea31 100644
--- a/src/nvim/lua/vim.lua
+++ b/src/nvim/lua/vim.lua
@@ -243,6 +243,10 @@ function vim.schedule_wrap(cb)
   end)
 end
 
+function vim.empty_dict()
+  return setmetatable({}, vim._empty_dict_mt)
+end
+
 -- vim.fn.{func}(...)
 vim.fn = setmetatable({}, {
   __index = function(t, key)
diff --git a/test/functional/lua/vim_spec.lua b/test/functional/lua/vim_spec.lua
index 17ffcd8d86..e879f8b925 100644
--- a/test/functional/lua/vim_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/lua/vim_spec.lua
@@ -354,7 +354,8 @@ describe('lua stdlib', function()
   end)
 
   it('vim.tbl_islist', function()
-    eq(NIL, exec_lua("return vim.tbl_islist({})"))
+    eq(true, exec_lua("return vim.tbl_islist({})"))
+    eq(false, exec_lua("return vim.tbl_islist(vim.empty_dict())"))
     eq(true, exec_lua("return vim.tbl_islist({'a', 'b', 'c'})"))
     eq(false, exec_lua("return vim.tbl_islist({'a', '32', a='hello', b='baz'})"))
     eq(false, exec_lua("return vim.tbl_islist({1, a='hello', b='baz'})"))
@@ -458,6 +459,19 @@ describe('lua stdlib', function()
     ]]))
     eq({3, 'aa', true, NIL}, exec_lua([[return ret]]))
 
+    eq({{}, {}, false, true}, exec_lua([[
+      vim.rpcrequest(chan, 'nvim_exec', 'let xx = {}\nlet yy = []', false)
+      local dict = vim.rpcrequest(chan, 'nvim_eval', 'xx')
+      local list = vim.rpcrequest(chan, 'nvim_eval', 'yy')
+      return {dict, list, vim.tbl_islist(dict), vim.tbl_islist(list)}
+     ]]))
+
+     exec_lua([[
+       vim.rpcrequest(chan, 'nvim_set_var', 'aa', {})
+       vim.rpcrequest(chan, 'nvim_set_var', 'bb', vim.empty_dict())
+     ]])
+     eq({1, 1}, eval('[type(g:aa) == type([]), type(g:bb) == type({})]'))
+
     -- error handling
     eq({false, 'Invalid channel: 23'},
        exec_lua([[return {pcall(vim.rpcrequest, 23, 'foo')}]]))
@@ -486,7 +500,7 @@ describe('lua stdlib', function()
     })
     screen:attach()
     exec_lua([[
-      local timer = vim.loop.new_timer()
+      timer = vim.loop.new_timer()
       timer:start(20, 0, function ()
         -- notify ok (executed later when safe)
         vim.rpcnotify(chan, 'nvim_set_var', 'yy', {3, vim.NIL})
@@ -505,6 +519,32 @@ describe('lua stdlib', function()
     ]]}
     feed('<cr>')
     eq({3, NIL}, meths.get_var('yy'))
+
+    exec_lua([[timer:close()]])
+  end)
+
+  it('vim.empty_dict()', function()
+    eq({true, false, true, true}, exec_lua([[
+      vim.api.nvim_set_var('listy', {})
+      vim.api.nvim_set_var('dicty', vim.empty_dict())
+      local listy = vim.fn.eval("listy")
+      local dicty = vim.fn.eval("dicty")
+      return {vim.tbl_islist(listy), vim.tbl_islist(dicty), next(listy) == nil, next(dicty) == nil}
+    ]]))
+
+    -- vim.empty_dict() gives new value each time
+    -- equality is not overriden (still by ref)
+    -- non-empty table uses the usual heuristics (ignores the tag)
+    eq({false, {"foo"}, {namey="bar"}}, exec_lua([[
+      local aa = vim.empty_dict()
+      local bb = vim.empty_dict()
+      local equally = (aa == bb)
+      aa[1] = "foo"
+      bb["namey"] = "bar"
+      return {equally, aa, bb}
+    ]]))
+
+    eq("{ {}, vim.empty_dict() }", exec_lua("return vim.inspect({{}, vim.empty_dict()})"))
   end)
 
   it('vim.validate', function()